Spurs Mock Draft: Could Donovan Clingan Fit Alongside Victor Wembanyama?

A recent mock draft from The Ringer placed UConn center Donovan Clingan in San Antonio with the Spurs' No. 6 draft pick, creating an intriguing pairing in the front court.

It's been quite the month for Donovan Clingan.

After helping lead the UConn Huskies to their second consecutive NCAA National Championship, the sophomore center officially declared for the 2024 NBA Draft just four days after, immediately positioning himself as one of the top prospects in the class.

Clingan had quite the jump from his freshman year coming off the bench, averaging 13 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.5 blocks on 63.9 percent shooting from the floor in 22.5 minutes per game. It took some time for him to adjust after a foot injury at the beginning of the season, but he settled in quickly to become a dominant force on the interior that played a key role in UConn's March Madness tear.

The 7-foot-2 giant has gained a lot of attention from his defensive prowess at the center position and highly efficient scoring in the paint, two traits that many NBA teams would love to have on their roster. This potentially includes the San Antonio Spurs, who were listed as Clingan's destination at the No. 6 pick via The Ringer.

Everything hinges on if the Toronto Raptors move up in the lottery, but San Antonio has the potential to possess two draft picks in the top 10 of the draft. While it would likely take Alex Sarr if given the option, falling back in the lottery could make it pivot to taking Clingan as its next center.

The question you might be thinking is, why?

The Spurs already have a generational talent locking down the center position in Victor Wembanyama, who is soon expected to receive the Rookie of the Year award after averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 3.6 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. It was a ridiculously strong rookie campaign that cemented all of his immense expectations into reality.

Grabbing another center to pair alongside him doesn't seem all that necessary on the surface, but it could make sense depending on how the draft order shakes out. Wembanyama's skillset makes moving to the power forward position full-time considerably easy, and it wouldn't affect the Spurs' spacing in the slightest. Clingan could slide in as a center who will devote a lot of his time helping on the defensive end, while being a reliable inside scorer and second chance points getter.

Possessing both a 7-foot-4 and 7-foot-2 talent would make for a freakishly large duo in San Antonio's frontcourt, a scary sight if you're any other team in the league assuming Clingan pans out to his potential. It also has a past of successful big man pairings, that being Hall of Famers Tim Duncan and David Robinson.

That's not to say this hypothetical duo would pan out to that level, but it's been proven in the past that teams can be successful with two dominant big men. Both Clingan and Wembanyama bring different elements to that table that shouldn't have a problem assembling, especially on the defensive end that the Spurs struggled mightily at last season.

If San Antonio has two picks on draft night, Clingan could be a solid option to add to a team building for the future. But if it finds itself with one, selecting a guard that can open up the offense and move the ball around might be a more desirable option for a team truly lacking it. The Spurs will be fine without another big man, but it desperately needs improved guard play.

Whether or not Clingan becomes a Spur this summer depends on many circumstances that can't be determined until the lottery results come in, but if available when San Antonio appears on the clock, the match has some definite potential.